Fabric hanging device



Dec. 17, 1963 J. LlsHMAN FABRIC HANGING DEVICE Filed April s, 1952 INVENTOR.

facu [fsf/M4# diffu-wer United States Patent() 3,114,412 FABRIC HANGING DEVICE Jacob Lishman, 75 Middleneck Road, Great Neck, N.Y. Filed Apr. 6, 1962, Ser. No.v 185,714 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-348) This invention relates to fabric hanging and pleating devices, and particularly to a device for hanging draperies, curtains and other fabrics vertically from a horizontal support. v

Draperies may be formed of a variety of materials, ranging from light and flexible plastic sheet materials to heavy, woven fabrics, all of wihich are referred to hereinafter as fabrics. It is highly desirable with all of these fabrics that devices employed to fasten to them, and to hang or suspend lthem from a horizontal support, not damage them, as will drapery pins and the like.

Furthermore, it is desirable :that the hanging device enhance the appearance orf the fabric, as by forming pleats in a straight-hanging fabric, orby supporting the fabric firmly along a substantial area at its top so that separate fabric stiffening materials will be unnecessary.

" Other desirable characteristics in the fastening and hanging device are that it be easily attachable to and removable from the fabric to permit dismounting of the `latter `for cleaning and other purposes, that it be useable with any of a large variety of materials having different colors, designs and the like, and that it be economical to produce.

The device of the present invention achieves all of these desirable ends. The device in its broad aspect comprises inner and outer elongated concentric tubular members formed olf a material which is stiff and rigid relative to the fabric, the inner member having along a portion of a vertical edge a fixture for attaching it to and suspending or hanging it from a horizontal support. The outer member is slotted along its vertical length, with the slot being of sufficient width to receive a fabric and the hanging fixture tof the inner member, so that it may be slid down over the fabric and the inner member when the fabric is placed around the inner member with the fabric and inner member hanging fixture passing through the slot. The diameter of the members is selected to permit them to hold the 'fabric snugly between them, thereby holding against lateral and vertical movement relative to the device. The outer member lalso may, if desired, have substantially parallel elements or tabs near its top extending from the slot to hold the fabric away from the tubular members, thereby enhancing the threedimensional character of the hung fabric.

The tubular construction of the members provides them with rigidity in a vertical direction; this causes vertical stiffening of the fabric at its top, making it unnecessary to use secondary stifleners in the fabric. The slotted tube construction of the outer member at the same time provides it with clamping strength coupled with rilience, so that it may be positioned easily andl will be adaptable to various thicknesses of fabric.

IIn preferred embodiments of the invention, the device may be fitted near the -top with a positive fabric-clamping means which may comprise a simple cap across the top of the outer member, or which may be an element protruding from lthe inner face of the outer member, against which the top of the inner member will clamp the fabric. The desirability yof having such a positive fabric-clamping means will be determined largely by the nature of the fabric. In nearly all cases, the top edge of the fabric is hemrned to `avoid a raw edge, so that a seam is provided. With light-weight fabrics, such as stitched plastic shower curtains, the contact of the inner member up under the stitched seam and the spring-like clamping pressure of the outer member will be sutlicient to hold Patented Dec. 17, 1963 ICC the fabric against slippage. With heavy fabrics, however, often more than the mere clamping pressure of the uter member and contact of the top of the inner member with the seam will be required to avoid downward slippage of the fabric, and positive fabriec-l-amping means will be desirable. quire a clamping means, since the heat-sealed hem may slide past the top of the inner member.

A preferred, and very simply fabricated construction has as the hanging or suspended fixture, a fiat ring having a straight edge integral with a vertical edge of the inner member and having a cut-out center which will tit over the horizontal support. The ring is slotted, preferably in a substantially vertical direction, near its bottom to permit it t-o be positioned over the support. IFor ease of positioning and best appearance, the cut-out is no closer than 1A to 3A of an inch from lthe straight inner edge of the ring.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the attached drawings, in which FIG. 1 -is an elevation in perspective showing a drapery fastened and hung with the present device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inner member;`

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the outer member;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device with a fabric in place;

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing in section the assembled device and fabric;

FIG. 6 is a :section of the top part of an alternative form of the assembled device having -fabricV in place; and

FIG. 7 is a section of the top of an inner member having another form.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 ithereo-f, the illustrated device of the invention comprises an inner tubular member 10, shown as having Wrapped around it a drapery 12, whose upper edge is folded back and seamed along line 14. Snspending and hanging ring 16 is an extension of inner member 10, and is shown in position around support `155.

Outer member 20Yis positioned in clamping relation-ship around inner member 1t)` and drapery 12, with suspending or hanging ring 16 and drapery 12 passing through a vertical slot in the back of outer member 20 Outer member 20 has a pair of parallel tabs or extensions 22 extending fro-mfacing edges near the top of its vertical slot, which hold the drapery away from it. The drapery is pinched together by the slot in member V20, and folds together at 24 below the device, thereby forming a pleat 26.

The slot in outer member 20 is Vshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as vertical slot 28. In FiG. Z, the construction of inner member 10 is shown, with ring 16 being equipped with a cut-out 30, and a slot 32 for use in opening the ring in positioning it over horizontal .support 1S.

The relationship of the parts of the device in use are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4, drapery 12 is shown clamped between outer member 2() and inner member 10, and extending together with ring 16 through slot 28 in outer member 20,. Element 34 of outer member Ztl forces drapery 1.2 over inner member 10, thereby clamping it in place.

FIG. 5 shows a side section view along line 5--5 of FIG. 4, with drapery 12 in place. When outer member 2i) has been slid down over drapery 12 and inner member lil, the seam 14 of the drapery abuts against the top 36, of inner member lit; being clamped there by element 34 of outer member Ztl. This serves as a positive lock against downward slippage of the drapery.

FIG. 6 shows a side sectional view of the top portion of a device of this invention, with the fabric in place, in which the top `of outer member Ztl is provided with cap 38 for clamping fabric 12 in place. Top 36 or" inner member 1t) presses Ifabric 12 up against cap 38, thereby creat- Heat-sealed plastic hems also may re- (D ing a clamp to hold this fabric against downward slippage.

In FIG. 7, the top of inner member it) is shown as having at its top an upended portion 4i). This spear-like portion itl is adapted to lit up under seam 15.- of a fabric, thereby clamping it and holding it against downward movement relative to the inner member.

The device is formed `of a material which is rigid and stift" relative to the fabric, preferably of a transparent plastic which will net interfere with the appearance of the fabric. However, it may be formed of sheet metal, pressed liber, wood or the like material of suflicient stillness to hold the fabric rmly and provide support for suspension. The `outer member must be of a thin material so that it will be springy and resilient to provide a clamping pressure, yet will be suiieiently flexible for positioning and removal. In the case of opaque materials, it may be decorated or it may be of a neutral appearance.

The `device of this invention affords a firm fastening for a fabric, without puncturing, creasing or Otherwise damaging it, even after lengthy and repeated use. It also provides a stifening action along the top of the fabric, and forms a ple'at in the' fabric.

The device can be constructed of a transparent material to permit the design of the fabric to show through, or it can be a decorative element itself, as desired. `Furthermore, it is easily and economically produced, and can be assembled and disassembled readily by anyone, with no particular skill being required to permit the achievemen/t of a neat and well finished fastening.

It will be apparent that the particular forms of the device shown in the specification can be modified without departing Ifro-m the scope of the invention, which is dened in the claim.

Pursuant Vto ythe requirements of the patent statutes, the principle of this invention has been explained and eX- emplified in a manner so that it can be readily practiced by those skilled in the art, such exempification including what is considered to be the best embodiment of the invenition. However, it should be clearly understood that, within the scope of the Vappended claim, the invention may be practiced by those skilled in the art, and having the benefit of this disclosure, otherwise than as speciflcally described and exemplified herein.

I claim:

A device for suspending a vertically disposed fabric from a horizontal support and adapted `to form a pleat in the fabric, said device comprising inner and outer elongated concentrically disposed tubular members formed of a material which is stili and rigid relative to said fabric, :said inner member having along its vertical edge a fixture for attaching said inner member for suspension from said support, and `said inner member being of a diameter to press said fabric snugly between said two members and held it therebetween said outer member being slotted along a vertically extended arca from its lower edge upwardly to its top, and said slot being of suflicient width to receive Ithe fabric and to permit said fixture of said inner member to slide vertically in said slot between opposing faces of said fabric when the fabric is positioned between said members and extended through said slot, and said outer member having an clement near its ,top and extending from its inner surface against which the top of the inner member will abut to clamp the fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,505 Beeherer Aug. 23, 1904r 1,362,651 Towns Dec. 2l, 1920 2,181,813 Kaufman Nov. 28, 1939 3,037,556 Zuckerman et al. June 5, 1962 

